Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Unable to Tolerate Iron | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I'm pregnant with my second child :)! During my first pregnancy, I couldn't tolerate vitamins with iron (severe diarrhea), so I took a double dose of my normal multivitamin without iron. Unfortunately, the vitamin A level in that is way too high for a pregnant woman. Search as I may, I can't seem to find a prenatal vitamin without iron. Am I the only woman who can't tolerate iron? Short of taking a handful of vitamins every day, what are my options?
— Iron Intolerant in Illinois | | | ANSWER |
February 28, 2001 | | | Dear Iron Intolerant,
Believe it or not, with the exception of first trimester folate, many experts do not recommend vitamin supplements in pregnancy, provided that you eat a healthy, balanced diet. If you do want to take a vitamin, however, you can take a multivitamin that has at least .4 milligrams of folate, or a regular multivitamin plus a separate tablet of .4 milligrams of folate. Both varieties are available without iron.
If you take a vitamin that doesn't contain iron, keep in mind that iron is still important to you and your growing baby. Be sure to eat foods that are rich in iron, such as meats and leafy, dark green vegetables; you'll be able to tolerate the iron in food much better than you did in a supplement. For more information about diet and vitamins, see our articles on folate in pregnancy and principles of healthy eating.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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